On his first appearance since the Australian Open in January, the 30-year-old Serbian lost 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 to his Japanese opponent at the at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and looked badly affected by the elbow injury he was forced to have an operation on last month.

"It felt like the first match I ever played on the tour," Djokovic said.

"Very weird.

"I completely lost rhythm.

"I was grateful to be out on the court after surgery that quickly but at the same time I just didn't feel good at all.

"I was not even supposed to be here because of the surgery that was only five, six weeks ago.

"But I recovered very quickly, and I got myself ready."

Following his win today, Daniel will now face Argentina's Leonardo Mayer after he defeated Ruben Bemelmans in straight sets 6-4, 6-1 in this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. 

Elsewhere in the men's draw, Switzerland's Roger Federer, the current world number one, booked his place in the third round with a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Federico Delbonis of Argentina in a match that was held over from yesterday due to rain.

In the women's competition, number one seed Simona Halep of Romania recovered from a 6-1 first set loss to Caroline Dolehide of the United States to eventually emerge victorious after winning the last two sets 7-6, 6-2.

The 26-year-old will now face Wang Qiang of Cina after she beat France's Kristina Mladenovic by a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 scoreline in an event that is a Women's Tennis Association Premier Mandatory tournament

Action is due to continue tomorrow with the match between American sisters Venus and Serena Williams the headline attraction.